SAP B1 AddonInstaller

[Former Member]

Hello

Please can someone assist with the following problem experienced:

I have created an add-on using the B1AddOnInstaller template for VB.Net 2003. I have installed Net framework 1.1 and 2.0 on the dev.computer. The add-on project that has been created installs the add-on but comes up with the following error at the end of the install:

"Error at EndInstallEx() call at the end of the add-on installation". I have tried installing using the option for everyone or just me but still experience the same problem. The installation completes but if you check in the add-on manager, the add-on status displays "Disconnected" and the group is manual.

I have checked to see if the "target"variable is set for the commit/custom Action date and it does have this setting.

Please help.

Regards

John

[Former Member]

Hi John,

I initialy used VB.NET to create installers but don't like the idea of always having to program an installer, so I'm testing to switch to WiX so I can create more robust installers.

As to your problem I don't think it has anything to do with prebaked or not, but hand written usually brings you down to the point where the call fails. Are you sure that the installer is getting the right AddOnInstallAPI.dll path? If not you can be sure that the installation will fail and SBO won't be notified of a complete install. The problem with this is that the installation is installed but SBO doesn't know about it. I suggest on writing a simple installer that does nothing more then extract a txt file or something to the supplied path and calls EndInstallEx from AddOnInstallAPI.dll. Be sure to set the working directory to the path of the dll else your call will definitly fail!

If it still gives you problems I'll be glad to check out your installer to get rid of your problem. Just let me know.

Kidn regards,

Dwight

[Former Member]

Hi Dwight

I think that is the problem. Did you use VB. Net to create an installer for your add-on.

Regards

John

[Former Member]

You should use the B1DE installers. They have 2 versions, one that is in vb.net (very simple) and a second one using the .msi technology from .net

I comes with the source code so if you want to do your own tweaking you will be able to.

Sometimes prebake is good specially if it comes from the people that actually created the main software.

Regards,

WB

[former_member185703]

Hi William,

John IS using B1DE (wll, he didn't tell us, but just look at the name of his installer...)...

John,

I suggest that you debug the installer:

If you have MSVS Professional (or similar) you can attach your IDE to the installer process through "Tools"->"Attach to Process...".

Please note that you need to have the configuration of the installer project to be set to "Debug" (don't forget to create the ARD file again after rebuilding the installer) through "Build" -> "Configuration Manager..."

If this menu entry isn't visible for you (not sure why MS hides it by default):

Go to "Tools" -> "Options..." and there to "Projects and Solutions"/"General" and locate the check box that activates it...

Then debug the AddOnInstallManager.vb source code (e.g. go to the Install() method) ... or add check whether the change of Environment.CurrentDirectory actually works.

HTH,

Frank

[Former Member]

Hi,

Maybe this has to with the setup not able to find the AddOnInstallAPI.dll. I'm not sure but I know that I've had problems with notifying SBO that an install was completed and that the base of the problem was that the setup had the wrong working directory when calling the AddOnInstallAPI.dll methods.

I don't have any experience with the B1DE installers cause I have written my own installer, don't like to much prebaked stuff :- )

Kind regards,

Dwight

[Former Member]

Hi Frank

Sorry for not getting back to you sooner but I need help to resolve this urgently. I do change the group to "Automatic" but the add-on still does not start automatically probably due to the error. The version of B1 is 2005A, SP01, PL23 and this is the same environment on all the other computers. Where do I add the environment variable "AAdminLog". Please help. I am using the B1DE installer.

Regards

John

[former_member185703]

Hi John,

Go to "Start" -> "Control Panel" -> "System"; select the "Advanced" tab; click on "Environment Variables" and add the variable (best probably as "System variable") and enter "1" (or higher; up to "3").

Check the "Temp" variable to see where the log will be created...

Then restart B1 ...

Regards,

Frank

[Former Member]

Hello Frank

The add-on does not get started automatically or twice. The user must start the add-on manually. The add-on is still listed in the "AddOnsInstall.dbo" file but is not listed in the "AddOnsLocalRegistration.sbo".

I have un-installed etc. It happens to any computer.

Regards

John

[former_member185703]

Hello John,

I am aware that the user has to start the Add-On manually (you have to set the "group"" to "Automatic" start to get that behavior anyway, but I suspect you know that).

I didn't hear about such a problem so far - at least not one that couldn't be resolved by uninstalling and trying again.

What B1 version are you using on the PC where you created the installer?

...and is it the same evrsion as on the regular client PCs?

...just to make sure...

Furthermore you should add an environment variable "AAdminLog" and set its value to 1, 2 or 3; any value > 0 triggers logs to a file AddOnInstall.log in your computers temp. directory. I hope that this might give us some hint what goes wrong.

...if that doesn't help you should also involve SAP Support!

If you are using B1DE to create the installer however, Trinidad may have more ideas (hopefully)...

Regards,

Frank

[Former Member]

Hi Frank

The Add-on does get installed and is listed on the list on installed add-ons but the status is "Disconnected" and the group is "Manual". We then manually start the add-on by clicking "Start" and then we get the error at the end "Error at EndInstallEx() call at the end of the add-on installation". But the add-on does get started.

Regards

John

[former_member185703]

Hi John,

That sounds quite weird!

Does the Add-On get started twice eventually?

Could you check the AddOnsInstall.sbo file in the B1 folder whether the Add-On is still listed there?

...it should only be listed in AddOnsLocalRegistration.sbo...

...sometimes it helps to uninstall the Add-On, remove it from the local files (or remove any Add-Ons + the files locally) and try again...

Does it happen on a specific PC only - or on more than just one?

Regards,

Frank

[Former Member]

Did you created an .ard file for this installer?

Are you installing from within SAP B1?

Regards,

WB

[former_member185703]

Hello John,

Are you saying that you cannot start the Add-On - or that it didn't get installed?

The Add-On shouldn't get listed as installed when the installation didn't work, but listed in the list of "pending" Add-Ons.

Regards,

Frank